Jeong Cheong-rae, leader of the Democratic Party, emphasized on June 22 that "peace is the economy. If peace is shaken, the economy is shaken, and South Korea is shaken," highlighting the importance of peace in inter-Korean relations. He reiterated the significance of President Lee Jae-myung's recent diplomatic achievements during his European trip, questioning, "When have we ever had a conversation with the U.S. president about peace on the Korean Peninsula?"
Speaking at an emergency international discussion titled "Turmoil in 2026: Iran War, North Korea-China Summit, and the Korean Peninsula" held at the National Assembly, Jeong stated, "Over the past 40 years, we have made numerous efforts for inter-Korean relations and peace on the Korean Peninsula with many hopes and aspirations. There is no separate path to peace; peace is the path itself."
He added, "We must pursue the path of peace that we can never give up again. Peace is our destiny. Peace is the economy, and if peace is shaken, the economy can be shaken, and South Korea can be shaken."
Jeong specifically referenced President Lee's recent request to Pope Leo XIV for a visit to North Korea and discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump regarding peace on the Korean Peninsula during a G7 dinner. He remarked, "During this trip, President Lee met with the Pope and requested to visit North Korea. I saw him engage in over 90 minutes of deep conversation with President Trump about peace on the Korean Peninsula. When have we seen our president have such an open and profound discussion about peace on the Korean Peninsula with the U.S. president at a dinner? We must always be prepared for rapid developments regarding the Korean Peninsula issue."
He concluded, "This is why I organized this discussion. Peace occupies the most important part of our economy and happiness, and we must always be prepared and ready, which is the purpose of this discussion."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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